Meet Lauren Owens

Violet Fane once said, "[G]ood things come to those who wait.” Violet, I totally agree with you. We have to wait for the reluctant hero to realize his true identity in our favorite movie. We have to wait until the end of the book to find out the crazy twist. We have to wait for the delicious chocolate-chip cookies to come out of the oven.

Take this example: We already have our cookies, but they're not yet ready to eat until they bake for the full 12 minutes. And what is waiting for us at the end of the timer is better than what we had at the start. When we look at Romans 8:22-23, we are hit with the tension of waiting in the "already" for the "not yet" to happen.

We know that by receiving Jesus, we have been redeemed and adopted as children of God (John 1:12). But it gets better! Our adoption becomes perfect, and we experience the complete fullness of being God’s children. We can then become fully conformed to His likeness when God glorifies our bodies once Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 15:44). Until then, we wait. And in that waiting, our bodies and spirits groan—they cry out in agony for the future resurrection. Why do we groan? Because this world is not our home, “[b]ut our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).  

My friends, our waiting, groaning, yearning, and searching are not for nothing. We are not to sit idly by, marking days off the calendar and daydreaming about what is to come. No, we are challenged by God’s Word to use every moment and gift that God has given us (Ephesians 2:10). We are called to GO make disciples (Matthew 28:19) and BE the light of our Father in the darkest of places (Matthew 5:16). We wait hopefully, EAGERLY, for what the Lord has promised. What are you waiting for?